Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-17
An Old Precedent.

Il
concerning the refusal OF the Government OF
England to allow the Gate City Guard,
military company Of Atlanta, Ga, to visit
that country arms IN hand. Negotiations
began some six months ago, when Captain
RuREr. through the Department OF Stale.
sought Minister PHELPS'S aid in securing
pcrmi. sion OF the English Government to
parade that country in arms. The reply OF
Mr.. PHELPS was ibat he bad not presented
the application because there was no prece-
dent upon which such application could be
granted, and II there was precedent at all
it was against granting il, because in 1881
Captain NIKE WHEIAS, OF Detroit, had un-
successfully sought the same permission.
Since then he has cabled that the company
will not be allowed TO land with arms In
their hands.
II NAV not be known, but it ia neyerthe-
les The custom Of every Commandery OF
Knights Templar In this country TO ask per-
mission to pass through the territory oil
every Grand Commandery concerned when
It's proposed 10 make pilgrimage. The
fact Of asking such permission implies that
the permission may or may not be granted
So also the fact that the Gate city
Guard asked permission Of the Government
of Eneland to visit that country earned
and equipped " according 10 the law OF
the United States implied not only that the
permission might he withheld, but also
that Captain BURKE aud his company
would be In duty and courtesy bound to
accept whatever reply might be made ID
their request, As settling the question.
Yet we are told what here follows:
"This, said Captain Burke. Is an insult
10 every volunteer soldier In the olted
States. France. Belgium. Germany, and
Itsly have agreed TO receive u, and. when
we approach the shore OF Great Britain, 1t
j, demanded that we should castOf our
uniiGms, hide the American flag, and
Green through ENGLAND like tramps. IL is
the universal opinion that the refusal was
because OF American sympathy toward the
Irish. There j. an angry and excited meet
inc OF The Guard tonight. who are in any
thIpg but q p easant mood. Tickets have
been sold to a large number OF excursion
ISIS, upon which the trip to England IL tue
stimulation. The trip will have 10 be aban'
doncd unless something unforeseen occurs
We have beIe a manifestation OF bad
temptr. We do not know why the request
WAS refused. but we are sure that 1t was not
because the British Government thought that
the people OF this country all sympathlzed
with Ireland. Muster PHELPS. through
whom the refusal came, is reported to have
assured the British Government that such
was not the case. Air. PHELPS was vastly
mistaken il be gave our British cousins
such an assurance, but IL be did give it
then 1t is Impossible Die that Queen VlCroEIAs
Ministers should have been influenced by
the motive charged upon them.
The custom which has led to the misun-
derstanding OF which we write is thou
sands OF years OLD. The proof Is as fol-
lows:
"Tnen Israel sent messengers unto the
King of Ed0m, n. ins, Let me, pray thee,
pass through thy land. But the king OF
Edom would not heuken thereto. Audn
ike manner they sent unto the King OF
Moab; but be would not cODsent." -JadQeS
RI, II.
1t thus appears, to-, that it was not
thought unb, coming 10 refuse to grant such
requests.
We trust that the British Government
will vet reconsider the matter and grlnt the
permission asked for. 1t can do no harm.
ON the contrary, it may do good. \ great
many Of us in tins country have Irish blood
In our veins, and have been disposed to
ascribe unworthy motives TO the English
without sufficient cause. The present
course OF Mr.. GLADSTONE aud the thousands
OF EngIishmen who follow him shows that
the hearts OF the real English people are in
the right place. Let Captain BURKE with
his Irish name and bis American company
march all over Eogland, Ireland. Scotland,
and Wales II be desires 10 do so, aud
Brother JONATHAN Will feel sense Of graft
fcsiion that canuOt be expressed 10 words.
But, after ali, JOHN BULL is JOHN BULL.
He won't have tunnel between Dover aud
Calais because be doesn't want JOHNNY
CeAPEAU to creep through the tunnel into
England unbeknownst TO him." Per-
hsps we shall have to excuse him for being
afraid OF UNCLE SANS nnes.